Faculty/Author Profile

Clara Poffenberger

Clara Poffenberger Environmental Law and Policy LLC

Attorney and Principal

Fairfax, VA, USA

Clara Poffenberger is an environmental attorney with over 26 years of experience with state and federal air pollution laws and regulations. She began her career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, first in the Office of Air and Radiation in the Stationary Source Compliance Division in Washington D.C. and then in the Air Enforcement Division of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance ("OECA"). Having become nationally recognized for proficiency with various Clean Air Act programs, particularly the air permitting programs, Clara joined private practice at Hogan and Hartson (now Hogan Lovells) and began to work with companies on Clean Air Act compliance matters as well as advocacy related to the New Source Review Reform efforts. Clara soon thereafter joined Baker Botts LLP, expanding her experience into the energy sector, working with petroleum refining companies on various matters including EPA's Petroleum Refining Enforcement Initiative. For 9 years, Clara worked with companies with facilities all over the United States on air pollution and permitting matters. In addition, Clara created and developed Baker Botts' Latin America Environmental Law Practice that included managing a client group with interests in Latin America as well as a network of environmental lawyers in Latin America. In 2006, Clara took an opportunity to serve as in-house counsel for ExxonMobil Corporation. From 2006 to 2012, Clara served as ExxonMobil's lead attorney on New Source Review matters, the New Source Review Consent Decree, fuel regulatory matters, and climate change regulatory matters. Returning to private practice in 2012, Clara continues to represent the oil and gas industry, providing compliance advice related to all federal and state air laws and regulations. Clara provides compliance counseling and advocacy support for fuel providers, chemical manufacturers and independent power producers.

Clara is licensed in Virginia and Washington D.C. but provides compliance guidance and strategy support at the national level and state level, including state air regulations that are based on federal rules. Of particular value to the energy sector is how federal regulatory and legal developments affect state regulations and compliance options.

Clara graduated from the Washington College of Law at the American University in Washington D.C. with a Master in International Law and Affairs as well as a J.D. Clara graduated from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia with a Bachelors of Art in International Studies and International Development.